Organon salutis an instrument to cleanse the stomach : as also divers new experiments of the virtue of tobacco and coffee, how much they conduce to preserve humane health / by W.R. ...

CHAP. IV. (Book 4)

In the stomach undigested meat,* 1.1 Fleagm and evill humors, from whence proceeds Choler and Me∣lancholy, &c▪ and by consequence the Stone, and many other In∣firmities.

1. TThat after the dispo∣sition of the meat in the stomach, there remains part of the meat undige∣sted, it is too well known to moderate Surfeiters, and ve∣ry often to foul and weak stomachs, and to old age: As for the time when the stomach hath disposed of what it can digest, that is after sleep; so Heu∣rinus upon Hippocrates Aphorismes; and then a man must look to it, to re∣medy

himself or suffer great evils.

2. That superfluous matters doe a∣rise after the concoction and digestion of our meat, hath been shewed before, cap. 3. That those matters are at first Flegme, which, being baked with the heat of the stomach, breed Choler, &c. and by consequence the Stone, is the generall opinion of learned Physitians; And Vanthelmont (a rare late Writer) describeth the same in many places, and sheweth how the humors are not of such severall natures, as they are ordi∣narily distinguished, but originally are Flegme, and then baked to higher de∣grees, and get other names, as Cho∣ler, &c.

3. The seat of these humors are in the stomach, but principally in the mouth of the stomach, which is the principall seat of life, which Vanthel∣mont describeth excellently; where he saith, That in the stomach, but especially in the mouth thereof, as in the very center point and root, is evidently set∣led the beginning of life, of digestion of meat, and of the disposition thereof to maintain life, what then soever the

Philosophers (or Physitians) did talk or think to be of great moment concer∣ning the heart, whether they will or no, they have made it common to the sto∣mach.

4. Common experience shewes this to be true in very many men, who can neither eat or drink in the morning, but loath the same, and are troubled with waterish humors, but cannot get away the same with all their fasting and physick.

5. How to avoid these superfluous humors, is our great labour, for other∣wise they are the occasions of diseases, as is said before; and besides that, while they are in the body, they make our bodies like unseasonable Vessells, which doe spoyl the good meat which we doe put in our stomachs for our nourish∣ments, so that it cannot be well dige∣sted; which made Hippocrates to deliver the Aphorismes, lib. 2. Aphor. 2. Corpora impura, &c. That the more sustenance is taken into unpure bodies, the more mischief happens unto them. How far then doe they erre, who having foul dodies, doe endeavour to help them∣selves

with Caudles and Cordialls be∣fore their bodies be cleansed, and made fit to receive the same?

6. Labour and Exercise have been accounted, and are the best ordinary means to wear out these corrupt hu∣mors, and to help digestion thereof, for which purpose Rantzovius cap. 9. and Grator in his Chapter of Exercise, have written much out of many Authors; yet for all that it must be with this Limitation (Dum vires, &c.) while youth and strength of body doth last, and before old age come, or the body groweth weak with Infirmities: And let a man be never so lusty and strong, yet nevertheless excessivenesse of hu∣mors in the body doe often kill the strongest and most laborious men, whereof we have daily many fearfull examples, which made Rantzovius, cap. 18. say well, That the retaining of cor∣rupt meat in the stomach, is a strong destruction of the body; and cap. 50. saith, That the Plague it self cannot in∣vade that man, who hath not corrupt humors. How farre then doe they erre, who think to weare out these humors

by fasting and exercise, when it may be quickly done otherwise, with so little labour and trouble as before, cap 2 n. 1. And hereafter, n. 8. &c. I leave it to every mans judgement? and leave care∣less men to perish in their own negli∣gent wayes.

7. Lemnius de occultis hath writ∣ten a whole Chapter of the rattle which men have in their throats before they die, and ascribes it to the contra∣ctions of the vitall spirits, &c. and so it may be well enough; for that a mans breath is stopped by flegme and un∣digested humors, which come from the mouth of the stomach into the throat, as well as an halter doth stop it out∣wardly.

8. When all means are tried to* 1.2 avoid both corrupt humors and corrupt meat in the stomach, vomiting of it up is accounted the best means by Rantzo∣vius and Heurinus, and many learned Physitians commend it exceedingly, and say that the Egyptians and Caldeans u∣sed it twice every moneth: And Fer∣nelius saith, that it purgeth not only the stomach, but also all the other parts

of the body, to the very heart. And finally, That as all evill humors doe come out of the stomach to disturb all parts of the body, by certain secret passages: So if the stomach be made clean by vomiting, the same corrupt humors return into the stomach again by the same passages, to be avoided by the ordinary passages of nature, which otherwise cannot be purged down∣wards; whereof a man may read it at large in Rantzovius, cap. 18. and Fer∣nelius there, lib. 3. cap. 3. and Parent his notable book of Chyrurgery and Physick, and many others.

9. How dangerous it is to procure vomiting by the ordinary course of Physick, I leave it untill you come to the eighth following pointe cap 10. But how to doe it otherwise with little or no offence or disturbance unto na∣ture, and without observing of any cu∣rious diet, or hindrance to a man in his Vocations or Journeys; that is my principall labour, for which purpose I shall shew this easie and safe way fol∣lowing.

10. Whether it be in time of health* 1.3

or sickness, whensoever you finde any e∣vill* 1.4 disposition in the stomach, eat a convenient meal of what meat and drink you please, then walk a little while after it: Then sit down with your body bending, and thrust the said Whalebone Instrument into your sto∣mach, stirring it very gently, which will make you vomit; then drink a good draught of drink, and so use the Instrument as oft as you please, but ne∣ver doe this upon any empty stomach.

11. To make the stomach more apt to vomit, and to prepare the humors thereunto before you eat and drink, Take the bigness of a Nutmeg, or more of the said Electuary of Cophie, &c. into your mouth; then take drink to drive it down; then eat and drink, and walk, and use the Instrument as before. There may be more or less of the said E∣lectuary taken at any time before meat, as a man findes it to be most agreeable to the constitution and strength of his body, without any curious observance of diet or fire, or hindrance for a man to goe or travell about his business.

12. Some may think it strange to

procure Vomit with this Instrument, rather than by Physick; but look upon Rantzovius, cap. 18. and other books, and there you shall finde them, to di∣rect, that if a Vomit will not work, you must help the same with putting a feather into the throat; and many use a Rosemary branch: but these things doe not goe into the bottom of the sto∣mach to stir up the humors (as the whalebone Instrument doth) which I leave to every mans experience.

13. Many objections have been made against this course, which never∣thelesse I doe not finde by experience, that the same are of any weight, to al∣ter what is before directed.

14. As to that which Physick books say, That vomiting more often than twice a moneth is dangerous, and may bring a man to an habit of vomi∣ting, and so weaken the stomach, where∣unto I doe agree, If it be done by Phy∣sick, whose opperations are contrary to nature, as Fernelius saith. But this way I prescribe is naturall, which may ap∣pear in little Children who are at Nurse, and are never accounted heal∣thy

but when they vomit often. Also the Dog is taught by nature to vomit, and all manner of Hawkes cast their castings every morning, otherwise they are not in health. And the Councell in Ecclesiasticus, cap 31. doth not ex∣tend only unto superfluity of meat, but also to superfluity of humors▪ and di∣vers old Commentators of that place affi••m it, to extend as a Councel to help and strengthen weak stomachs.

15. Others say, what good doth the meat when it is vomited up again, and that whosoever doe use it, have not the benefit of nature downwards? Where∣unto I say, by experience, that all the meat doth not come up, but part of it, which is in the upper regiment of the stomach, and doth carry with it the cor∣rupt humors of the stomach, which doth swim upon the top of the meat, and na∣ture being eased of that burthen, doth work the residue of the meat more free∣ly downwards, which may be found by experience; and also nature draweth quickly the quintessence of the meat to the nourishment of the body, to avoid all corrupt humors, so that the body &

minde shall be more strong and free for all occasions, and shall be with far lesse trouble, charge, and danger, than to* 1.5 doe the same by Physick.

16. In respect I have spoken so much of Vomiting, I will add the o∣pinion of learned Fernelius there, where he saith, That if after a Vomit, the pulse being full and strong, plea∣sant sleep commeth easie, and free* 1.6 breathing, a good appetite, and the rest of the body lighter; then the Vomit is commendable, otherwise not, and very hurtfull: I leave the experience hereof to every mans judgement who useth it.

17. That although by vomiting, as aforesaid, a man shall avoid much thick flegme, yet by the often using of the said Electuary of Cophie, &c. Al∣though a man shall by ordinary cough∣ing avoid great pieces of blew congea∣led fleagme, which I could not see a∣voided by any other means. If a man will take a spoonfull of the said infusi∣on of Tobacco in his mornings draught of Ale or Beer, it will add much good for this purpose, without lothsom∣ness

or trouble to the body.

18. Lastly, I have often found, that if a man taketh from two spoon∣full to twelve, according as a man findeth by experience to be agreeable to his age and constitution, of the said infusion of Tobacco, cap. 2. n. 4. and drink it in a cup with Ale or Beer, the same is very good vomit: And divers lately have made the like Infusion in Posset drink; but I finde no great dif∣ference in the operation thereof. Ob∣serve when it doth work to drink good store of Posset or other drink after it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Point.
• * 1.2

  Vomiting.
• * 1.3

  Remedy▪
• * 1.4

  Instru∣ment.
• * 1.5

  ☞
• * 1.6

  ☞